Thinking about this lately. It's clear from both NT and OT passages that God's ideal is permanent, heterosexual union (Mark 10, where Jesus refers to Genesis and makes his own pronouncement). But that's obviously not the trend in civil, secular society, regardless of widespread feeling that America is still a "Christian nation."
I have a problem with the "Defense of Marriage" camp. The idea that gay marriage is threatening to the institution of Biblical marriage seems a little silly. At the very least it's like closing the barn door after the animals have escaped. The greater threats to marriage have always been things like adultery, divorce, abuse, pornography, and such things. You know, issues and problems that can actually break up hetero marriage more than a same-sex couple tying the knot.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
Language Log on the Uses of "Socialism"
Language Log makes a point.
Click the title to bounce to the Language Log posting about the changes in the meaning of "socialism" through the years.
Interesting that toward the closing of the article, he mentions Christians.
Scripture reference: Acts 2:44 - 45 and Acts 4:32 - 35.
Click the title to bounce to the Language Log posting about the changes in the meaning of "socialism" through the years.
Interesting that toward the closing of the article, he mentions Christians.
Scripture reference: Acts 2:44 - 45 and Acts 4:32 - 35.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Parenting Conundrum: Stop Asking?
Parents, when your kids ask and ask and ask and ask and ask and ask and ask and ask and ask and ask and ask and ask and ask and ask and ask and ask and ask and ask and ask and ask and ask for the same things over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over, what do you do?
Jesus tells us that audacity and persistence are values to practice in our prayer lives (Luke 11 and Luke 18). Instead of being annoyed by these qualities, He welcomes them. But parents usually don't welcome them, and we usually are annoyed when it happens. How do we translate the way God treats us into how we treat our children?
Jesus tells us that audacity and persistence are values to practice in our prayer lives (Luke 11 and Luke 18). Instead of being annoyed by these qualities, He welcomes them. But parents usually don't welcome them, and we usually are annoyed when it happens. How do we translate the way God treats us into how we treat our children?
Thursday, April 22, 2010
In Which I Attack the Industrial Revolution
So I heard this guy give credit for the success of the Industrial Revolution to "Christian values." I asked him which values he was referring to, and to back up his position with scripture. No answer forthcoming.
The facts are independent of scripture, however. The time period in question was a hardship for the average worker. Factory life for uncounted thousands of workers was a miserable proposition. They froze in unheated factories in winter, baked in uncooled factories in summer. They were in danger of mutilation or death from exposed machinery for lack of safety standards. Wages were low, even by the day’s standards. Women were not given equal status in the workplace. Children were exploited for their labor. There was no basic healthcare, no job protection for workers. Only when workers organized into labor unions were those blessings secured for the average worker (and then not for women and minority groups until MUCH later).
For analysis and evalutation of the facts, however, we CAN go to scripture. Check out James 5:1-6.
Anything else, either for or against?
The facts are independent of scripture, however. The time period in question was a hardship for the average worker. Factory life for uncounted thousands of workers was a miserable proposition. They froze in unheated factories in winter, baked in uncooled factories in summer. They were in danger of mutilation or death from exposed machinery for lack of safety standards. Wages were low, even by the day’s standards. Women were not given equal status in the workplace. Children were exploited for their labor. There was no basic healthcare, no job protection for workers. Only when workers organized into labor unions were those blessings secured for the average worker (and then not for women and minority groups until MUCH later).
For analysis and evalutation of the facts, however, we CAN go to scripture. Check out James 5:1-6.
Anything else, either for or against?
For Whom Would Jesus Vote?
When it comes to matters political, where is our Biblical source material?
I’m assuming Christians want to have as much authority behind them as possible. But there’s so much compartmentalization – this is nothing new; it’s human nature. Dedicated Christians of all political persuasions speak and act politically as if the Word of God never existed. Walk with Jesus, truly Christian ideals, are completely separate from political position. It’s a problem. Our example and witness would be helped immensely if we only had Bible authority for our political beliefs. Maybe. The Cynical Side of me isn’t so sure.
I’m assuming Christians want to have as much authority behind them as possible. But there’s so much compartmentalization – this is nothing new; it’s human nature. Dedicated Christians of all political persuasions speak and act politically as if the Word of God never existed. Walk with Jesus, truly Christian ideals, are completely separate from political position. It’s a problem. Our example and witness would be helped immensely if we only had Bible authority for our political beliefs. Maybe. The Cynical Side of me isn’t so sure.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Constance McMillan
This happened in Fulton, MS, at Itawamba Agricultural High School. You can Google her name and read all the news stories about what happened, but in a nutshell:
This openly gay student, Constance McMillan, was planning to attend her senior prom with her girlfriend as her date. Instead of allowing her to do that, the school district cancelled the prom completely, for everyone. Then there was a “fake prom” which was attended by McMillan, her date, and a few other students, while the “real prom” (to which McMillan was NOT invited) was held at a secret, off-campus location.
So I’m curious about what Christians out there would say or do in this situation. What's the Christian response to something like this?
This openly gay student, Constance McMillan, was planning to attend her senior prom with her girlfriend as her date. Instead of allowing her to do that, the school district cancelled the prom completely, for everyone. Then there was a “fake prom” which was attended by McMillan, her date, and a few other students, while the “real prom” (to which McMillan was NOT invited) was held at a secret, off-campus location.
So I’m curious about what Christians out there would say or do in this situation. What's the Christian response to something like this?
Monday, April 12, 2010
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Denominations
Are denominations helpful or harmful to God's church?
For the sake of discussion, we can define a denomination as a group or fellowship
For the sake of discussion, we can define a denomination as a group or fellowship
- within Christendom at large;
- spread over various geographic areas;
- having its own unique name;
- having its own unique set of beliefs/creeds/doctrines/practices
- with the above generally recognized by its own believers; and
- with the above genearlly recognized by believers of other groups or fellowships.
For example, Southern Baptists can travel from city to city and find other like-named congregations and have a reasonable expection that doctrine and practice are going to be pretty much the same as their home congregation. The same is true of Lutheran, Calvary Chapel, Church of Christ, and Vineyard congregations, to name but a few.
In Christendom at large, most believers worship with some kind of denominational group. By comoparison, very few believers belong to the truly non-denominational community churches (since you can visit different community churches from place to place and NOT be assured that they will possess the same general characteristics).
If we search the scriptures, we find several admonitions AGAINST divisions:
- John 17:20-21
- 1 Corinthians 1:10-17
- 1 Corinthians 3 (whole chapter)
In addition, we find that in the first century there were Christians in each city, all considered to belong to the one true body of Christ. There were no denominations at that time, nor were any approved or commanded. You just won't find it anywhere in scripture.
As time passed, however, the church evolved through several stages, in which were several major splits. First the Orienatal Orthodox churches (Coptic, Egyptian, Syrian, etc.) split from the Western Church (which eventually became the Roman Catholic Church), and later the Eastern Orthodox churches split from the Roman Catholic Church. After that, the Renaissance and Reformation brought about other divisions, causing the formation of groups such as the Lutheran and Anglican Churches. And in the Restoration in America of the early to middle 1800s, we find that it didn't take long for even those churches to divide over doctrinal matters. To exaggerate for emphasis, church history demonstrates that you have to be alone in the room to get any kind of agreement on doctrine at all. And even then, it's a sketchy thing.
So we accept denominationalism as a necessary evil? You can't count the number of groups claiming to have the corner on doctrinal purity. That in itself should give us pause and make us realize that there is something terribly wrong.
Maybe we're stuck. Maybe the act of re-establishing a non-denominational church is the very thing that will cause divisions later on. Maybe we can't help it. But if we can't help it, then why would God give us the solution in Philippians 2:1-4 and Ephesians 4:1-8?
And then what do we do with 1 Corinthians 11:17-19, which says divisions show which group has God's approval?
Could denominations actually be helpful to believers who just want a doctrinally or ritualistically comfortable place to worship and serve?
Thursday, March 12, 2009
The Christian and War
Stan Warford Makes a Point
A friend of my mother-in-law gave a speech recently at one of Pepperdine's regular convocation assemblies (Christian school attendees, think "chapel"). If you feel like being challenged on this, I highly recommend you check it out.
Here's the link for the text of the speech.
Even if you dispute the historical accuracy of his facts, or if you question his interpretation of the facts, you will find it much more difficult, as a Christian, to argue against his point that we must all deal with the scriptures as they appear at face value.
A friend of my mother-in-law gave a speech recently at one of Pepperdine's regular convocation assemblies (Christian school attendees, think "chapel"). If you feel like being challenged on this, I highly recommend you check it out.
Here's the link for the text of the speech.
Even if you dispute the historical accuracy of his facts, or if you question his interpretation of the facts, you will find it much more difficult, as a Christian, to argue against his point that we must all deal with the scriptures as they appear at face value.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Your Government and You
It says that?! REALLY?!
This passage isn't new to me, but I just read it with fresh eyes.
Romans 13:1 - 2 -- Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
This passage isn't new to me, but I just read it with fresh eyes.
Romans 13:1 - 2 -- Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Silence: Restrictive or Permissive?
How do you view the silence of the scriptures? How did Jesus?
Scriptures to consider:
1 Corinthians 4:6 -- "Do not go beyond what is written." Paul gives a quote, not from scripture, but from somewhere else.
Revelation 22:18 - 19 -- This is the warning not to add or subtract from the words of the prophesy.
Our view of Bible silence has profound implications for us, and a deep impact on how we live with respect to the Lord.
Let's explore this.
Scriptures to consider:
1 Corinthians 4:6 -- "Do not go beyond what is written." Paul gives a quote, not from scripture, but from somewhere else.
Revelation 22:18 - 19 -- This is the warning not to add or subtract from the words of the prophesy.
Our view of Bible silence has profound implications for us, and a deep impact on how we live with respect to the Lord.
Let's explore this.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
What is God like?
How do we come to know God?
John 14:8 - 10 -- Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." 9 Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10 Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.
Consider these passages.
Matthew 19:13 - 15 -- Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. 14 Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." 15 When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.3
Luke 7:11 - 15 -- Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 12 As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry." 14 Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" 15 The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.
John 2:7 - 10 -- Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."
Luke 6:6 - 10 -- On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. 7 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. 8But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, "Get up and stand in front of everyone." So he got up and stood there. 9 Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?" 10 He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He did so, and his hand was completely restored.
Luke 6:17 - 19 -- He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coast of Tyre and Sidon, 18 who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by evil spirits were cured, 19 and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.
What characteristics of God do these encounters with Jesus reveal?
John 14:8 - 10 -- Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." 9 Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10 Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.
Consider these passages.
Matthew 19:13 - 15 -- Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. 14 Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." 15 When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.3
Luke 7:11 - 15 -- Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 12 As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry." 14 Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" 15 The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.
John 2:7 - 10 -- Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."
Luke 6:6 - 10 -- On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. 7 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. 8But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, "Get up and stand in front of everyone." So he got up and stood there. 9 Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?" 10 He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He did so, and his hand was completely restored.
Luke 6:17 - 19 -- He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coast of Tyre and Sidon, 18 who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by evil spirits were cured, 19 and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.
What characteristics of God do these encounters with Jesus reveal?
Monday, January 19, 2009
Debate, Discussion or Stupid Argument?
At what point does a discussion turn into a debate? And at what point does a debate turn into a foolish and stupid argument?
Two springboard passages:
Acts 18:27 and 28 -- When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. On arriving, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.
2 Timothy 2: 22 - 26 -- Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. 24 And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25 Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
Two springboard passages:
Acts 18:27 and 28 -- When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. On arriving, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.
2 Timothy 2: 22 - 26 -- Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. 24 And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25 Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
An errant brother (who happens to be a minister) with whom I have been hoping to study has lately refused me, giving as his reasons his very busy schedule and his desire to not become embroiled in debate. This last has been his reason in previous encounters for shutting me down, not letting me open the Bible to see what God's Word says about the issue up for discussion. When I persisted in opening the Bible or referring to the Scriptures, I was called "argumentative" and "divisive." So it's obvious he doesn't want to study with me.
That's fine, his choice, he has every right to refuse, etc. But it's got me thinking about where the lines are drawn between discussion, debate, and stupid argument. Can you debate gently, or must it, by definition, always be "vigorous refutation" as in Acts 18? Luke calls Apollos "a great help" because he debated.
So let's reason together. I'm sure that as time passes, those who choose to contribute here will come into disagreement with each other. I'm not afraid of that. Disagreements are welcome here, in fact. You may post anonymously or not, but let's remember Paul's direction to Timothy, and do our best not to be foolish or stupid with each other.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
A lesson from 2 Chronicles 20
When faced with a major challenge, King Jehoshaphat resolved to seek the Lord for guidance. That's always a good idea for us. The King began by acknowledging God's power and greatness, and a commitment to remain before the Lord, waiting for his salvation.
And so we begin by praising God for bringing us this far by his hand. We acknowledge his guidance and control in our lives, and affirm that there is no god but the one true God, King of Kings, over heaven and earth.
And so we begin by praising God for bringing us this far by his hand. We acknowledge his guidance and control in our lives, and affirm that there is no god but the one true God, King of Kings, over heaven and earth.
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